Nov. 28, 2012: We've scoured the Web to find the best and most compelling animal stories, videos and photos. And it's all right here.

AP

Actor Lou Wegner, 16, poses with his rescued dogs.

Kid Star Leads Fast-Growing Rescue

After taking a director's suggestion to visit an animal shelter for a film role, teen actor Lou Wegner was shocked at the number of pets who are euthanized because they don’t have homes. So, at age 14, the Ohio native started Kids Against Animal Cruelty. Two years later, the group is one of the fastest-growing animal rescues in the country, using social networking to help save the lives of 20,000 pets at high-kill shelters. Wegner, who recently finished a pilot for “The Thundermans” on Nickelodeon and sings in the pop band Blonde, hopes to open a chapter of his group in every state. “The bigger the group you work with, the bigger difference you can make," he said. — Read it at AP via CBS News

PETA’s Birthday Gift to Miley Cyrus: A Pig

Another young star with a passion for helping animals got a special birthday gift from PETA. For Miley Cyrus’ 20th birthday, the group sponsored a pig named Nora at Florida’s Kindred Spirits Sanctuary in her honor. "From promoting animal adoption to speaking up for cows who suffer on dairy farms, Miley never stops letting her millions of fans know what they can do to make the world a kinder place," said PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. And it seems that Cyrus loved the gift. “Oh my pigggggyyyyy! She is so cute I can hardly stand ittttttt!!!!” she Tweeted. — Read it at the Huffington Post

Bo Obama Inspects White House Christmas Tree

Who better to give a tree a good sniff than the first dog? Bo, the Obamas’ 4-year-old Portuguese Water Dog, joined the first lady and her daughters as they received the 19-foot White House Christmas tree last week. Last year, Bo was prominently featured in the White House holiday décor. This year, the tree will display ornaments made by children living on U.S. military bases around the world. — See photo at People Pets

Tsunami the orangutan will wear special eye tracking equipment for the study.

Scientist Tracks Orangutan's Sight

A neuroscientist at the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus hopes to explain some of the mysteries of the visual brain and help improve the lives of animals in captivity by using specially adapted eye tracking equipment on a Sumatran orangutan at the National Zoo of Malaysia. One camera films what Tsunami, the 7-year-old ape, sees, and another films the movements of her right eye. "Orangutans are particularly interesting because to survive in the treetops they must be very spatially aware of their surroundings,” said the researcher, Dr. Neil Mennie. — Read it at Science Daily

Pets Get Their Turn With Santa

Kids aren’t the only ones with a list for St. Nick. Pets around the country are also waiting in line for their turn on the big guy’s lap. “We just love them because you can tell how the parents — the owners — love them so much,” said a Georgia mall’s Santa, after spending the day hearing about doggie Christmas dreams. — Watch it at USA Today